Nauru, the world’s 3rd-smallest country, changes its name to Naoero
The Pacific island nation of Nauru is officially changing its name to the Republic of Naoero to better reflect its indigenous language and heritage. The move is part of a broader effort to reclaim national identity while the country faces economic and climate-related challenges.
Why it matters
Name changes for sovereign nations reflect post-colonial identity reclamation and cultural preservation efforts.
The Pacific Island country of Nauru has changed its name to the Republic of Naoero, its president said, matching the spelling and pronunciation in the national language.
The country’s international code will change from NRU to NRO and its people will be known as dei-Naoero instead of Nauruan. Commonly known abroad by the pronunciation of Now-roo, the new name is spoken as Now-ero.
The move would return the remote South Pacific island nation to its traditional name, a statement posted Thursday (August ) to the government’s Facebook account said. The country became known internationally as Nauru only because its local name was difficult for foreigners to pronounce and was a matter of convenience rather than one of choice, according to an earlier government statement.
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